Container and supporting closure therefor



June 28, 1955 J. M. HOWELL CONTAINER AND SUPPORTING CLOSURE THEREFOR Filed June 9, 1952 ATTORNEY CONTAINER AND SUPPORTING CLOSURE THEREFOR Josephine M. Howell, Great Falls, Mont.

Application June 9, 1952, Serial No. 292,405

3 Claims. (Cl. 211-75) My invention consists in new and useful improvements in a container and combined supporting and closure bracket, adapted to be mounted on a wall or other foundation for conveniently holding various materials and small articles such as those required in sick rooms, infants quarters, kitchens or bathrooms, while maintaining ready accessibility of such materials or articles for immediate use.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a supporting and closure bracket designed not only to firmly retain one or more receptacles in conveniently suspended positions but to serve as an effective sealing cover for the suspended receptacles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting-closure bracket having one or more sets of retaining recesses or track ways, so designed as to coact with the adjacent contours of the mouths of respective receptacles and firmly wedge the upper edges or rims thereof in sealing engagement with the underside of the supporting bracket, thereby not only preventing the entrance of foreign matter into the receptacles, but preventing spilling or evaporation of liquid content of the receptacles when inserted in the retaining recesses.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a structure of this type, an automatic locking means to retain the receptacles in securely closed position.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the supportingclosure bracket, showing a series of three containers in place therein.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure l, and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, showing one embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings which illustrate one of many contemplated embodiments of my invention, 4 represents a vertical mounting plate, the lower edge of which terminates in an outwardly directed, right angularly disposed horizontal shelf member 5, together forming a mounting and combined receptacle-supporting and closure bracket. The upper surface of the shelf 5 may be used as a shelf to support various articles in the usual manner. This bracket may be formed of various materials but because of the availability and practicability of the many plastic substances now on the market, I prefer to use a suitable plastic material.

In the form of the invention shown in the drawings, the device is adapted to be mounted on a wall or other vertical foundation and the mounting plate 4 is therefore provided with openings 6 to receive suitable screws '7 for securing the bracket in place at a convenient location,

nited States Patent O ice The under side of the horizontal shelf 5 is provided with one or more transversely extending recesses 8, three such recesses being shown in the drawings. Each of these recesses is open adjacent the free front edge of the shelf 5 and is bounded on its side and rear edges by a Wedgeshaped trackway 9, the inner sides of which are directed downwardly at converging angles as will be seen from Figure 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the containers 10 are composed of any suitable relatively firm plastic material having slightly resilient properties, the containers flaring outwardly in circular open mouths at their upper ends. The angles of inclination of the opposed side walls of trackway 9 are designed to substantially coincide with the contour of the Walls of the containers 10, adjacent their flaring open mouths, so as to receive the upper edges of the containers with a firm wedging engagement which causes them to press tightly against the under side 12 of the shelf 5 within respective recesses 8, which thus serve as sealing closures.

The diameter of the mouths of the containers 10 is preferably slightly greater than the distance between the opposed trackways 9, so as to cause a slight compression of the mouths of the plastic containers when they are inserted in the respective recesses 8. This arrangement acts to cause not only a firmer engagement of the trackways with the containers, but causes an increased sealing engagement of the upper edges of the containers with the roof 13 of the recesses 8.

In a bracket for use with a circular mouthed container such as shown in the drawings, the rear extremity of the recess 8 and trackways 9 is in the shape of an are 11, so as to firmly engage the innermost edge of the lip of the container as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

In this figure, the container ltl is shown in dotted lines in its normal shape before insertion in the recess 8 and in full lines, in its slightly transversely deformed shape, when inserted and under the wedging action of the trackways 9. The deformity is shown somewhat exaggerated for purposes of illustration. It will also be noted that the forward or open ends of the trackway may be slightly rounded as at 13 to facilitate the starting of the container into the recess 8.

While I have shown slightly deformable plastic containers, it will be understood that my invention also contemplates the use of a similar bracket arrangement with containers formed of glass or other rigid material. However, with the use of glass or the like, more care is required to obtain a precision fit between the upper edge of the container with the trackways 9 so as to insure an effective upward wedging and sealing action through the engagement of the angular trackways 9 with the mouth of the container.

In order to further insure the retaining of the containers in place in the recesses 3, I may provide the under side of the shelf 5 with a spring actuated locking ball arrangement 14, located just inside the open mouth of the recesses 8 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. As the container is inserted in the recess it depresses the ball and when the container is firmly in place against the rear end 11 of the recess the ball returns to its normal projected position and locks the container against displacement.

In order to afford ready visibility for the contents of the container, I prefer to form them of clear plastic or glass and if artistic taste demands, the bracket itself may be formed of various colored plastics to match the color scheme of the room in which the structure is to be used.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a compact and efficient device for retaining and protecting either articles or liquids which it is desirable to have readily accessible, and also a structure which is not only adaptable to various household uses but which can be made in a variety J of materials and colors to blend with the decorative scheme of the surrounding area.

From the foregoing it is believed that my invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being-borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims. For example, the mounting plate 4 may be eliminated and the shelf member 5 mounted directly on the underside of an existing shelf or table.

I claim:

1. A container and supporting-closure assembly, comprising a solid horizontal shelf, on the under surface of which is formed at least one container supporting and closure channel, said channel extending rearwardly from the forward edge of said shelf and being laterally bounded by opposed, parallel side walls which are directed downwardly at converging angles to form a pair of track members of wedge-shaped cross sectional profile, contiguous with the intervening under surface of said shelf, a 'container member of resilient material having a flaring mouth of slightly greater transverse dimension than the distance between opposed track members and having an outer cross sectional profile which conforms substantially to that of respective track members, whereby when the flaring mouth of said container member is inserted in said channel in wedging engagement with said track members, its upper edge is sealed against the intervening under surface of said solid shelf.

2. A container and supporting-closure assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opposed track members are joined at their rear ends by a substantially U-shaped continuation, having a similar cross sectional profile.

3. A container and supporting-closure assembly as claimed in claim 2, including locking means for retaining the container member in inserted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

